1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a system and apparatus for hydrostatically testing the internal pressure strength of glass bottles at predetermined pass levels controlled by an automatic sequencer.
2. Description of Prior Art
Heretofore apparatus for hydrostatically testing the internal pressure of glass bottles have existed. However, there are a number of drawbacks to the use of these prior art testers, particularly in the realm of economics and practicality.
For example, in those prior art testers which were not fully automated, constant supervision and adjustments were required by a skilled test operator in order to make a plurality of pressure tests on a given bottle or container. This necessitated that the operator make manual adjustments by the use of pressure gauges and control valves to obtain each of a plurality of desired water pressure levels. This method of operation proved to be very time consuming and subject to certain inaccuracies depending on the skill of the operator.
Because of the foregoing problems, the industry in the last decade has directed its efforts towards the development of fully automated test apparatii. However, these presently available automated test apparatii also suffer a drawback in the industry since they subject glass bottles to an infinite number of pressure levels, which is undesirable and impractical in that segment of the industry which uses a test apparatus quality control program to inspect glass containers at predetermined pass levels. Moreover, these automated versions are bulky, expensive and sophisticated insofar as their pressure-producing elements and the control circuitry therefor. Accordingly, there has arisen a need in the industry for a reliable automated test apparatus, preferably of simple construction for hydrostatically testing the internal pressure strength of glass bottles at predetermined pass levels controlled by an automatic sequencer.